U.S. Champs!

Aug. 25, 2012

Goodlettsville's Lorenzo Butler, second from right, celebrates with teammates after hitting a three-run home run off Petaluma, Calif., pitcher Andrew White in the fourth inning of the U.S. championship game at the Little League World Series. Butler hit three home runs as Goodlettsville won 24-16. / Gene J. Puskar / AP

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The Tennessean

Brock Myers of Goodlettsville celebrates with his teammates after hitting a two-run homer against Petaluma, Calif., during the Little League World Series U.S. Championship game Saturday at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport, Pa. The team faces Japan today for the World Championship. / Mark Zaleski / for The Tennessean

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SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, PA. — Goodlettsville is officially the best in the U.S.

But that’s only part of the story.

This U.S. championship in the Little League World Series was won with extraordinary resilience and poise by a team that simply refused to lose.

How else do you explain a Goodlettsville team that could squander a 10-run lead in the bottom half of the last inning on Saturday and somehow rally its spirits to score nine times in the top of the seventh to finally beat California 24-16?

Remarkable. Simply remarkable.

“I’ve never been in a game like that in my life,” said Goodlettsville Coach Joey Hale. “… It’s unbelievable.”

Yes, it is.

Even with the U.S. title, the first ever by a team representing Tennessee, there is a sense of unfinished business. Goodlettsville plays Japan today at 2 p.m. CDT for the world championship. The game will be televised by ABC (Channel 2 locally).

“I don’t think it’s sunk in yet,” said Goodlettsville catcher Cole Carter, who had four hits.

Earlier on Saturday, Japan beat Panama 10-2 to secure the International title and a berth in the LLWS championship game.

Given Japan’s pitching depth, Goodlettsville enters the game as an underdog. But what else is new? This team earned its berth in the LLWS by beating Warner Robbins, Ga., on its home field in the U.S. Southeast Region final.

“Our guys said they hoped they got to play Japan. Well, now they get to,” Hale said.

The U.S. championship game had a little bit of everything. Goodlettsville second baseman Lorenzo Butler blasted three three-run homers, setting an LLWS single-game record for RBI with nine and tying the record for homers with three.

Goodlettsville carried a 15-5 lead into the bottom of the sixth and appeared ready to put away the game and claim the U.S. title comparative ease.

But that was before California sent 14 batters to the plate and scored 10 times to send the game to extra innings.

California’s rally came out of nowhere. Brock Myers, who had pitched impressively for five innings, gave up a leadoff single to Bradley Smith. Myers then left the mound because he had reached the maximum pitch of 85.

Things snowballed from there. Pitch by pitch and hit by hit, California carved into the lead. Hance Smith tied the game with a solo home and Goodlettsville headed into extra innings

“You don’t really expect to get 10 runs,” said California Coach Eric Smith, “but I would’ve liked to have one more.

“I knew I didn’t want to see them bat again.”

On cue, Goodlettsville went back to work and proved it is the best in the U.S.